Returning Home
by Canace Panther
Summary: A VERY young police officer visits NYC from Miami after her mother is killed. E/G
1. mixed backgrounds

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that Disney has created. Please don't sue! I don't have any money as it is! I only own Arianna! 

She didn't like plane rides IN fact she hated them, they were smooth but the people were packed in to close for her. She loved downtown Miami the heat was wonderful, but New York would be cold this time of the year so she bought a parka. She had a hotel room booked for tonight and tomorrow night and then she would have to get back on this stupid plane again. She grabbed her duffle bag, she was only one test shy of getting her detective license so when she flashed her badge for the precinct the guards said she could carry her gun as long as she kept it in the shoulder holster. Arianna hated going through baggage claim so when she had her bag in her hand from the overhead bin all she had to worry about now was a cab. 

The taxi had dropped her off around one giving her enough time to take a shower and clean up before she had to be at the restaurant to meet the Mazas. The restaurant was only ten blocks down and five over, besides she could do with a nice little walk right now. Butterflies were building in her stomach but she walked into the restaurant like she would an undercover case. 

The old Italian place was decked out in deep purple and forest green; "Miss Maza?" The hostess said moving forward, "if you'll follow me." The woman was twenty maybe twenty-one, and seemed a little more alert than a normal person, Arianna locked this information away in her steal trap mind before she saw the only party in the place. 

In the back of the restaurant three people sat at a round table two women and a man. The older man and woman were obviously married, the African American woman adjusted the Native American man's tie who quickly loosened it while the woman went to work straightening the younger woman's skirt. "Mom," the younger one said; "cut it out!" 

The man stood smiling at Arianna; "Ladies," he said redirecting their attention. The two women scampered up as Arianna joined them. 

"Would anyone like a refill?" The hostess asked. The man shook his head sending the girl away, he was older than she first thought, early seventies but Peter Maza was still in shape. 

"Peter Maza?" Arianna asked uncertainly not looking away from his eyes. He nodded smiling then gave her a one armed hug before Diana Maza swept Arianna up in a big bear hug. 

"Mom god, let go of her before you squish her!" Beth said as the two let go then smiled; "I'm Beth, your mom's younger sister." 

"Oh so your Beth," Arianna smiled mischievously as she sat at the table. 

Beth groaned; "I promise I've grown up since my teens." 

"I didn't say a word," Arianna smiled again. 

After they had ordered from the real Italian menu, and Beth had complimented her on the green dress she was wearing, the Mazas started asking questions. "So what are you going to do for college?" Peter asked. 

"Well," Arianna smiled; "I'm going to be a detective." 

"Really?" Peter smiled; "well this place might be of some interest to you if you decide to go to the NY Academy, it's where all of the recruits start working." 

"I've only got one test to go and then I get my license," she said taking a sip of her drink. 

"The written?" He said; "it'll take you at least three months to complete that." 

"I've already taken the written." 

"What?" Peter said choking on his water. 

"The precinct bent the rules for me a bit, normally they make anyone wait until they are at least sixteen but I snuck in under the radar at fourteen." 

"What did the state do when they found out?" Peter asked a little excited. 

"At first they were going to ban my training until I was eighteen but when they looked at my record they decided to drop it and just let me continue." 

"Was that because of the good or the bad?" Beth asked sipping her wine. 

Arianna smiled a bit; "the good." 

"What did you get on your written?" Diana Maza asked, she had been studying her granddaughter the whole time. 

Arianna looked around as the food came out; "food's here!" She announced happily. The food was soon gone and they ordered desert, all the Mazas now looking at Arianna for the answer she had been avoiding. "One ninety nine," she groaned. 

Peter choked at her answer; "That's impossible, it's only out of two hundred. Your name would of been all over the country by now." 

"The stats for this year's test haven't come out yet, I probably won't be in Miami much longer, they'll send me to a city where they can use my talents better." 

"There have only been two others who ever got a one ninety nine on the placement detective test," Peter explained to his wife and daughter; "Elisa got a 192." 

"What test do you still have?" Diana asked. 

"I just need to have a professional evaluate me," she said; "it's suppose to be the most draining." 

"I remember Elisa didn't like that one," Beth smiled; "came home swearing about shirks." 

"Are you going to see your father while your here?" Diana asked cutting into her cake as the two others shot her looks. 

"My father?" Arianna said softly cutting into her brownie. "We never talked about him." 

"Never?" Beth said dropping her fork. 

"It never really came up," she told them; "mom normally had to worry about daycare or school or about our next case and I was busy trying to stay sharp, so we never talked about it." 

"Maybe we should talk about Derek," Beth looked at her parents. 

"It's all right I understand, he was working," Arianna smiled. 

"Are you doing anything tonight?" Peter Maza asked. 

"Not after eight," she smiled; "why?" 

Peter pulled out a card and handed it to her; "Met us there at nine then." 

Arianna said her good-byes, then went back to her list her mother had left in her will for her. Even after her death Elisa Maza's opinions could still be heard. Arianna looked down at her list again and started to cross off the things she had already done. 

Things to do while visiting NYC: 

Eat at an Italian restaurant, Stop a mugging, buy a poor man a meal, sit by the pond in Central Park, watch the sunset and sunrise from a high point, go to midnight mass, have dinner with old friends 

Arianna went around the corner then walked down to Central Park and sat down by the pond skipping rocks on the surface, it was amazing how calm things were here. She glanced down at her watch it would only be a half an hour till sunset, so she started her walk to the penthouse. Her mother had insisted on keeping the apartment though she hadn't used it since before Arianna was born, it would be an ideal place to watch the sunset. 

Her key worked amazingly and she entered a dusty old apartment with a flashlight she had bought at the store in hand. There had been a diagram of the penthouse with one of the letters her mother had left for her but the sun was setting fast and Arianna didn't know when she would have the chance to get back up to New York. She moved to the balcony and watched as the sun set brilliantly over the city of New York, her back tickled, something about this sunset in this place was different. 

Shaking the thought off as New York was covered in the dark blue she returned to the diagram of the apartment she had. She was relieved to find the electricity still worked so she didn't have to fumble around with a flashlight while she was trying to find what she was looking for. After finding the spot marked on her diagram she went to work. The X on her map was in the corner of her mom's old bedroom; 'what ever it is must be under the floor boards.' 

Moving the bed she examined the room carefully until she found the something she was looking for. There was a gap in between the wall and the molding, her mother hated that, quickly she ripped the molding away. The wall was nothing special but there was a place where a hand could slip in to move the floor board, quickly she moved the board. Reaching down she pulled out an old leather bound journal. 'What in the world?' 

All of a sudden there was a swooping sound and the roof seemed to groan; "Who's there?" Arianna asked whipping around and going out onto the balcony, a slight breeze had picked up and she was glad she had her hair back in a pony tail. Glancing around she didn't see anything, then looked down at the journal still in her hands then left the apartment making sure to grab her parka on the way out. 

Arianna was use to the night shift and so far she had been awake all day so for a few hours she would sleep before she had to get to the address Peter had given her. When she woke she put on a pair of comfortable black pants with a green sweater under her parka of course, then ran to the address given. It was and old brownstone and wasn't even locked when she tried to enter; "Arianna?" A voice came from another room, it was Beth Maza. 

"Come on kid," she laughed at Arianna. "Time for you to met Derek." The two went down stairs where Arianna found herself on an abandoned subway track. 

"Something you want to tell me?" Arianna asked raising an eyebrow. 

Beth whistled as a figure came out of the darkness. It had a face of a panther, the body of a body builder, the claws and feet were half and half, he also had wings sprouting out of his back. Her eyes must of looked like tea kettles because Beth pushed her towards the figure; "Arianna, this is Derek." 

Arianna gave him a bit of a sideways grin taking him in as he uncomfortably shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Well mom always said I have a diverse background." 

Relief spread across his face; "come, let me show you the labyrinth." 

Arianna Maza found herself eating dinner with Claw, Talon and Maggie. "So what have you done so far?" Maggie asked. 

Pulling the list from her pocket she read things off; "ate at an Italian restaurant, sat by the pond in Central Park, oh I gave a homeless man the rest of my lunch, watched the sunset from a high point and stopped a mugging." 

"What is this?" Derek asked; "and what do you mean you stopped a mugging?" 

"Mom's list of things I _must_ do while I'm in New York. And it was just your run of the mill mugging, I didn't even have to draw." 

"Draw?" Derek choked. 

"She's practically a detective already Derek," Beth piped in. 

"Have you taken the written?" He asked leaning in across the table. 

"Yeah. Why?" She shot him a look. 

"Derek don't start anything," Maggie said. 

"Why not?" He smiled; "now when I took the test I got a 195. I really don't expect you to get that high after all you're seven years younger than I was and Elisa only got a 192." 

Beth sniggered; "you are so going to get it Derek." 

"No," Arianna smiled; "I could see why you might think that. All this cold air probably freezing your brain. I got a 199." 

Derek had been smiling at her banter until he heard her score and his jaw hit the floor. All Maggie and Beth could do was laugh at mister high and mighty. 

"That's what you get for being smart Derek," Maggie smiled. 

"Well about this list," Derek said changing the subject; "these were all things your mother use to do pretty regularly. I know the church she would want you to go to. Would you like me to take you? Mass starts in fifteen minutes." 

"Sure," Arianna said; "how will we get there?" Derek showed her up to the top floor of the building and spread his wings. 

Gently they landed on top of Saint Catherine's just as midnight mass began to start. "Now that's a way to fly," Arianna smiled as Derek let her down. 

Her uncle just smiled down at her; "this was where Maggie and I were married." 

The two silently listened to the mass and Arianna let it wash over her; her mother had been here she thought to herself. It was still amazing that Elisa Maza, the best detective in the precinct, was dead. Arianna suddenly heard a gun shot ring through her ears and jerked away from the mass which had just finished. 

"Arianna?" Derek asked putting a claw on her shoulder; "are you alright?" 

"Didn't you hear the shot?" 

"Shot? What shot?" 

"Nothing, I must be tired," Arianna smiled weakly at Derek; "I should probably get some sleep. If I came by the Labyrinth tomorrow before I left would you be home?" 

"Yes," he smiled. She was so excepting she didn't even think about the change, he thought; it's a good thing to for when she meets her father. 

Derek had dropped Arianna off at her hotel the night before but she hadn't gone to sleep, she wanted to read the journal. Her mother's journal had been waiting for her half of the night and it wasn't like she could sleep. Ever since her mother's death she couldn't sleep, she was use to having family near her, a partner, she didn't feel safe. It had been five days and she was starting to get tired, but right now she was wide awake. 

She read the first entry with a slack jaw: 

_I have gone absolutely mad. Tonight I dreamed that I went to the Eerie building and meet a real, live gargoyle named Goliath. God I've got to get some sleep..._

(A/N): please someone tell me if I've got something here or if I'm wasting my time... 


	2. the truth

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this *except* Arianna. 

(A/N): thank you to those who reviewed! 

Arianna looked out the window as the sun came up over Manhattan. Sadly she looked down at the journal; _was it true?_ _No, she wouldn't accept it. But, _she thought again, _it would explain a lot. The eyes, the strength, and her heeling process. No, it was impossible, it couldn't be real. She would have to see it with her own eyes._

She ate lunch with the Mazas and tired to get them to open up but after they learned she was flying back tonight all they could say was she had to come back to New York sometime soon to meet her father, a nice long visit. Derek and Maggie weren't any help either but they at least said that she could visit anytime she wanted to. The only way she would find out the truth would be to track them down before she left; her flight back was at nine thirty so it would be tight. 

"Senior Police Officer Maza," Arianna said flashing a badge; "I need to speak with David Xantoes." 

"Yes Ma'am," the security officer said; "he's on the eighty first floor. I'll tell him your coming." 

"Thanks, and tell him I'm in a hurry," she said going to elevator and going up to the eighty first floor. She had her bag over her shoulder that sported the Miami precinct logo the same as her dark blue hat (with her hair up) with her dark sunglasses. She wore her parka with a white tee shirt and dark jeans that covered a very broken in pair of black heals. Knowing there would be a camera she kept her head down, didn't want to give anyone to much time to prepare. Looking at her watch she noticed she only had an hour and a half before her plane left, this was going to be tight. 

"Officer Maza?" A solemn voice asked as the elevator doors opened. She looked up to see a blond man who looked strikingly like a butler. "Follow me," he said a little unsteady. 

Arianna was shown into a large dark office that the only light came from the soon to be setting sun. "Officer _Maza,_ Mr. Xantoes." A man with gray streaked hair turned around in a large leather chair to look at the teenager. He would of been extremely attractive if he had been twenty or thirty years younger with his piercing dark eyes. 

"Officer Maza? What can I help you with?" David Xantoes smiled as he studied her. 

"I need information about my mother," Arianna said stiffly. 

"And who is your mother?" David Xantoes asked leaning across the desk. 

Arianna sighed placing her bag in a chair and putting her sunglasses, hat and hair tie inside; "I'm told I look more like my mother when my hair is down." 

David Xantoes shifted a little in his chair; "is Elisa with you?" 

"No." 

"What would you want my help for? Why not ask her?" 

Arianna sat; "Whatever my mother might have wanted to tell me she can't anymore. So tell me what do you know of gargoyles Mr. Xantoes?" 

"Gargoyles?" He asks raising an eyebrow. 

"I have one point of view," Arianna said holding up her mother's journal. "I'm looking for others." 

"Come with me officer, I think there is something you might want to see," Xantoes said leading her out of the room, quickly she grabbed her bag and followed. They moved to an elevator which took them up to the now famous Wyvern castle, then moved to a room in a tower that over looked the parapets. "Owen what time is it?" Xantoes asked. 

"A minute to sunset," the man servant said, Arianna hadn't even realized he was still with them. 

"Miss Maza if you will redirect your attention," Xantoes said signaling towards the stone gargoyles that were a story below them. 

Arianna watched as the last rays of sun evaporated from the stone figures. A cracking sound could be heard as her sharp eyes detected breaks in all of the stone figures. Then several roars were let out from them as living beings broke free from their encasements for the night. Her eyes zoomed in on the largest male there with violet blue wings, Goliath. 

"Well thank you for your help Mr. Xantoes but I have a plane to catch," she said checking her watch and descending down the stairs. 

"Please, at least talk to them," David said; "you don't know what it was like when Elisa left." 

Arianna looked back up the stairs; "yes I do. I would stay if I could but I have appointments to keep." With that she fled from the castle not even looking back. 

"Owen," David said; "I want to know everything about Officer Maza." 

"Do we tell the clan sir?" Owen asked. 

"Yes, I learned along time ago to tell Goliath the truth," David responded and turned walking towards the clan. 


	3. face to face

Disclaimer: I know, I know... I don't own anything (sigh), but Arianna (smiles); so please don't sue I'm poor (swears under breath). 

Arianna sat in front of the gate reading a book, legs spread out ready to go. "Flight 451 with service to Miami has been canceled due to a malfunction. All passengers are asked to report to the ticket counter for assistance." 

"God," she sighed; "I hate flying." Grabbing her bag she approached the counter; "my name's Arianna Maza and I need to be back in Miami by tonight," she told the man. 

"Officer, Officer Maza?" He asked. "We've made other arrangements for you. Please if you'll follow Scott." 

She smiled at them and followed a man in his mid-thirties outside to a small cart. He drove off of the commercial airline tarp and to the private ones. "In there," he nodded to an enormous structure. Grabbing her bag once again she cautiously moved into the building as the man sped away. 

Arianna put her bag down near the entrance of the structure. "Hello," she asked and moved inwards. She caught something out of the corner of her eye, something red. Someone touched her shoulder, she grabbed the hand sending him flying then pounced on him. 

Looking down at the figure she saw it was a mechanical gargoyle in red and gray iron. She held his legs down with one of her and held one of his arms down with her other leg. The other arm of this thing was pinned under their combined weight. The demon's tail thrashed at her, quickly she grabbed the tail as something else grabbed her ripping her away from the first. 

She wriggled away and grabbed her attacker, a silver and green mechanical gargoyle, around the throat lifting it off the ground. Glaring she held it two feet off the ground with her left hand and had her gun in her right pointed at the red. "What is going on?" The red moved forward and she shot an inch from it's toe; "don't even think about it." 

"Perhaps a surprise was not the best way," the red one said taking the head off to reveal David Xantoes; "if you would, could you please put my son down." (A/N: you didn't think I could keep him a baby now did you?) 

Arianna glared and put down the green one. "Mr. Xantoes, I assume you have something to do with my plane's cancellation?" 

"My assistant, Mr. Brunett, has arranged everything. You will have your final professional examination tomorrow at the twenty-third precinct at six thirty. This way you may extend your visit." 

"How did you find out?" She asked. 

"Xantoes is very good at discovering things about people especially when they don't want him to," a strong voice said from the shadows. 

Arianna turned to face the speaker, eyes ablaze. She had been able to control her temper before but she had been taken by surprise and didn't even notice there were others there. It was such a rookie mistake. 

"Fascinating," the green mechanical gargoyle said. 

"Officer Maza may I introduce Goliath," David Xantoes grinned. 

Arianna turned to the shadows and faced where the speaker was. A large figure with wings and talons stepped out of the darkness. She could see many things that connected them together. Both had midnight locks and she could tell, if it was true, she had gotten the muscular built from him. His face was completely expressionless as he moved towards the young woman who could be his daughter. Gently he reached down and pushed hair out of her face as she stared up at him. 

Slowly she backed away from the figure picking up her bag; "I'm sorry I'm not ready yet." He nodded as she turned and left the airport. 

It was to much for her to deal with right now, she couldn't take meeting her father too. She grabbed a taxi back to her mother's apartment and got on the Internet there. Her department heard about the switch and wished her well; 'maybe they knew you would have to stay,' a rookie named Adam told her. 

New York City was where you were placed if you scored the best. It was where every detective wanted to be; it was the best crime center in the country. Her mother had been a little uneasy when they talked about Arianna going there. She knew why now. 

It would be a long day tomorrow with the exam so she sent the Mazas an e-mail telling them she extended her visit but leaving out the part about her meeting at the airport. Tomorrow she wished to spend alone without anyone. It would be another sleepless night without a partner to watch her back. 

At six twenty five Arianna walked into the twenty third precinct and was immediately hit by an image. In a frame on the wall was a photo of her mother and one Detective Bluestone. She groaned as she pulled up the collar on her jacket trying to hide her face; 'it figures I would walk into her precinct.' Quietly and quickly she made it to the examination room with only a stare from one older police officer. 'The worst is over,' or so she thought when she enter the examination room. 

Three hours later, a record time for this exam because most cops would of run out screaming by this time, Arianna Maza emerged still in one piece. The shrink wanted to crack open her head and examine every inch but Arianna hadn't budged. Finally after a heated debate about cops not being like criminals the shrink kicked her out and told her to get her scores from the commissioner in two days. 'At least two more days without sleep,' she thought; maybe, just maybe, she could get some sleep when she was a detective. 

It would be dawn in another two hours and Arianna was regretting what she had done the night before. She heard a swooping sound before she even saw the red gargoyle with the long beak, it was a chance without strutting in front of Xantoes. But how to get his attention... She smiled pulling out a pocket mirror and aimed a refraction light at his eye. It worked! He quickly turned and headed toward the penthouse apartment. 

"Elisa?" He asked in disbelief as he landed on the ledge. He was thinner than Goliath but not by much and hunched a bit more. 

"No," Arianna said steadily. "My name's Arianna. I know your leader Goliath, do you think you could give him a message for me?" 

"How do you know Goliath?" He questioned skeptically. 

"A mutual friend," she answered. 

"What's the message?" He asked but he still seemed a little non responsive. 

"Could you tell him... that I'm ready now. And if he would like I'll be here tomorrow night ready to talk." 

"I'll tell him." 

"What's your name?" Arianna asked. 

"Brooklyn." 

"Thank you Brooklyn," she smiled; "I owe you one." 

(A/N): oh come on, you didn't think I would leave Goliath high and dry, did you? 


	4. the meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Arianna. 

The large purple gargoyle smiled as his second came in for a landing at the castle, his clan was thriving. A few more of the children from Avalon had joined the clan in New York and within a year there might be a fresh crop of eggs. His old friend Hudson sat on a bench petting the guard dog Bronx, the oldest gargoyle had stopped fighting only a few years ago but his council was very important to the clan. "Goliath," Brooklyn said breaking him from the trance. "I need to speak with you, alone." 

"Another attack?" Goliath asked as they went into a back room. 

"No I have a message for you," Brooklyn said closing the door to the room. "From a woman named Arianna. She was at Elisa's apartment; do you know her? She said you had a mutual friend." 

"Yes I know her," he stated as calmly as he could; "what was the message?" 

"She said she was ready now. And if you would like she will be at Elisa's apartment tomorrow night ready to talk. Goliath who is she?" Brooklyn asked crossing his arms. 

"Go get Hudson and then I'll tell you," Goliath said sitting down deep in thought. 

Arianna hadn't slept again and you could start to tell that she was not sleeping at night, her color was starting to go. She had seen the Mazas and they had even commented that she looked like she needed some rest. _Maybe he won't notice, _she thought to herself besides it would be dark out. A now familiar swooping sound was heard and Arianna turned to the sliding glass door. 

She could see an outline of the gargoyle, slowly she went out onto the patio to join him. "Goliath?" She asked carefully. He turned and caught her breath with his dark eyes but she quickly regained herself; "did you love her?" 

"She was my mate," he told Arianna as she leaned against the railing three feet away. 

"But did you love her?" 

"I will love her until I am ripped from this world and into the next," he told her standing still as a post. "Why do you ask?" 

Arianna sighed looking out over the city; "she was true to the end. Mother never married, never dated and never even kissed a man... Ever." 

"It was very hard to get into Elisa's inter circle, and it was even harder to become romantically involved with her." 

"Not for my lack of trying. After a while she simply told me no one could measure up to my father," Arianna couldn't look at him, she felt far to weak right now. 

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked. 

Finally she turned to face him; "you were the most important person in the world to her though we never talked of you. Mother always hid the things that were closest to her. I wasn't ready to speak with someone my mother regarded so highly. It had nothing to do with," Arianna grinned sideways; "our differences." 

"So you feared me?" He asked solemnly. 

"I respected you," she smiled. 

Goliath nodded looking over the city; "when did she die?" 

"A week ago," Arianna said which wiped the grin off of her face as she looked out over the city. She didn't want to talk about her mother; _she was dead what more was there to discuss?_ He was watching her, studying her,_ perhaps he was the cop._

_How would he explain everything to her? God Elisa, I need your strength,_ Goliath thought as he watched Arianna. She was avoiding his eye contact at the moment;_ for her Elisa has only been dead a week, for him it had been over eighteen years. She looked so much like his Elisa. How would he tell her about his relationship with her mother? How much did she know? How much did she know of the clan? Did she even know about the clan?_

"Goliath?" Arianna asked breaking him from his trance concern was all over her voice. 

"I need to show you something," he said picking her up. 

"Um... all right," she said wrapping her arms around his neck. 


	5. night with dad

Disclaimer: I do not own the gargoyle characters! 

He soared, she thought as he held here. It wasn't flying, the dynamics weren't right for that, it was gliding but it was more then that, he soared. He went over all the rooftops as if he was weightless, though she doubted it considering his size. She wondered where he was taking her but didn't ask, just enjoyed the view. 

Goliath stopped several times during the night eventually landing where Elisa had ended their first tour. "The twin towers use to stand there," he told her motioning to their left somewhat casually. "As I told you before as we guarded the castle we now guard the city." He had told her all about the massacre at castle Wyvern, the spell cast on them and a summary of their 'Xantos' history. (A/N: I'm not really going to give you a summary of the whole thing, do you know how long that would take?) 

Arianna smiled as she put her hair down and let the wind whip through it, the currents up here were pleasant but it was winter and still cold. She must have shivered because Goliath came up behind her and wrapped his wings around her to block the wind. After a few minutes of staring out over the water she turned around to face him, at first she met him stare for stare but soon she dropped her head. "Thatnk you for the tour." 

He pushed her face up with a claw forcing her to look at him again; it was so good to see something that beautiful which he and Elisa had created. He broke away from the stare this time looking to the east. "The sun will be up in an hour and a half. I should take you home." 

Once landing she smiled and thanked him again; "I hope you had nothing planned for the day," he commented. 

"Wouldn't matter," she shrugged; "I haven't been sleeping much." 

Goliath was alaramed and worried to say the least; "why not?" 

"It's know as partner depression," Arianna explained; "don't worry sooner or later I'll just fall asleep and it'll be ok again." 

"What is this partner depression?" 

"It's just the person who watches my back's gone so my mind won't settle because it doesn't feel safe." Goliath was a little alarmed but knew what to do picking her up again. "Ooh, can I ask what your doing?" Arianna said. 

"Taking you back to the castle," he told her; "I can guard you until sunrise there and Xantos has the best security in the world, you'll be safe there." Arianna didn't have the heart to tell him that _being safe_ and_ feeling safe_ are two different things. He landed in the gargoyles quarters on a bedroom balcony that Goliath knew all to well. "You can stay here," he said opening the french doors to reveal a seventeenth century bedroom completely with wash basin, wardrobe, writing desk and bed. "It was Elisa's room when she stayed here." 

Arianna could of done without the last bit of information but didn't let it show that it affected her at all. She moved over lying down on the bed as Goliath looked out of one of the two east facing windows that the bed was in between. She had to admit she did feel a lot safer with him in the room, he was family, but then again who wouldn't feel safer with a three or four hundred pound protector in the room? She fell asleep even before Goliath turned to stone. 

"Arianna?" A voice asked as a hand shook her awake. 

Wiping away the wisps of sleep she looked up to see a smiling Goliath. "Hasn't the sun come up yet?" 

He smiled again; "it came up and already set, you slept the day away." 

"What time is it?" 

"Seven fifteen," he told her glancing at the clock. 

"Crap!" Arianna said grabbing her boots and started to put them on furiously. 

"What is wrong?" 

"My test scores I was suppose to pick them up from the precinct before seven thirty," she told him starting for the door but he picked her up carrying her to the window. 

"I can get you there faster." 

Arianna skidded to a stop in front of the commissioner's office at seven twenty nine and turned the door knob just as it was being opened from the other side; "nice of you to show Maza." 

"Sorry commissioner my family just can't seem to get enough of me," she offered. 

"Well never seeing them before could have that affect," the comissioner said handing her a vanilla envelop. Arianna slowly took it and began to open it;_ everything depended on what the shink said, everything that mattered was in this envelop._ Shakily she read the letter: 

Professional evaluation: 

It is my opinion that the officer in question, Officer Maza, is in perfect stable mental health. She exhibits all the qualities needed in a fine detective, her code of honor is in perfect match with that of the law. Her inability to break down under presser would make her a perfect candidate for the undercover team or any 'presser cooker' cases. I completely approve Officer Maza for first class Detective statue. 

Arianna just gaped. 

"Since you are still on official off time due to the loss. I'll expect you in two weeks from Monday here for your orientation to the precinct, second shift starts at eight that ok with you?" The commissioner asked raising an eyebrow. 

"That's fine, thanks," Arianna told her as the commissioner left. She leaned against the wall just grinning;_ she had done it, she had become a first class detective and all before her nineteenth birthday. Mom would be so proud._

"Hey kid," a man said with graying hair as he got some coffee; "you ok? You've been grinning like a mad man for the last fifteen minutes." 

"Yeah fine thanks. Just got some good news. See ya later," she said walking out the door and back to the Eerie building. 

"See ya later Maza," Matt Bluestone smiled walking back to his desk and finishing up his paper work. 

(A/N): review me! And thanx to all those that did already, you know who you are! 


	6. copycat

Disclaimer: You really think I'm that inteligent to come up with characters like this? (mumbles: and they say I'm crazy) I own only Arianna.  
  
Arianna had started to head towards the Eerie building when she realized she hadn't had a shower in over twenty four hours! Only an hour after she received her results Arianna had taken her shower and sent her results to anyone she felt should know. Her mind started to calculate the fastest way to get to the Eerie building, tomorrow she would celebrate with the Mazas, but now she would celebrate with her father's side of the family.  
  
She ran straight past the guard not even stopping when he asked where she was going. the evaluation was in her inside coat pocket she reminded herself as the camera in the elevator moved to see her better, she couldn't help but grin.  
  
The elevator doors opened and at first she though it was her floor until a young man entered the elevator as well. He raised an eyebrow at her; "what are you doing up here sweetheart?"  
  
"Don't call me sweetheart," she warned. Six foot two, one hundred sixty pounds, muscular, red hair, green eyes, handsome to some, she noted to herself.  
  
"Have it your way dumplings," he smirked as the doors opened again.  
  
"Do women actually respond to your lines?" she asked irritated.  
  
He followed her a few feet then wrapped his arm around her waist; "so do you want to go to dinner sometime?"  
  
"Get your hand off of me," she growled.  
  
"What if I don't want to," he said seductivily.  
Arianna was fed up. Grabbing the man's hand on her waist she flipped him over onto his back and straight onto the hard wood floor.  
  
"Nice to see you again Officer Maza," David Xantos said as he entered the hall with a folder in hand, looking down at the man on the floor. "Enjoying yourself Alexander?"  
  
"Having the time of my life," Alexander smiled.  
  
"Please forgive my son," David Xantos smiiled looking at the contents of the folder; "he looses his sense when he sees a beautiful woman."  
  
Arianna nodded sharply to hide her slight embarrassment at being called beautiful; "is my father still here?"  
  
David Xantos raised an eyebrow at her; "surprisingly the entire clan is still here, but I believe your father is outside their meeting room. If you go down this hall take the last left then go down that hall and up two flights you should find him."  
  
"Thank you," she told him before heading in the direction of the gargoyles' quarters. She reached the outside of what she believed to be the clan's meeting room but didn't enter instead she walked through the open doors to the parpets where she recognized a large gargoyle.  
Goliath had kept the clan in tonight, he was certain Arianna would return if not tonight then tomorrow and he was determinded for the clan to meet her together. He was feeling the strain of being leader, only last year he was almost killed but Brooklyn had saved him. Whaat would of happened if he had died and Arianna came looking for him? How would the clan have reacted to her? He suspected the clan knew what had transpired with himself and Elisa all those years ago but it had never truly been brought up. How would they react to this child? He must be prepared to step down as the leader if need be. It was his job to see all of the options and while he wanted to believe they would accept her, he had to see all the angles.  
  
To his eyes she was pefect just as her mother was and his Angela is. as soon as he learned of her he could not help but swell with fatherly pride. angela had worn down his original gargoyle ways and now only the human ways remained. For Arianna's sake he was grateful for angela's determination in that respect.  
  
"Goliath?"  
  
The large gargoyle turned around to find the earlier object of his thinking. "Did you make it on time Arianna?"  
  
She grinned pulling out a peice of paper and handing it to him; "I think mom would be happy."  
  
Goliath read through the letter and tried not to faulter when he spoke; "so you would be Detective Maza now?"  
  
She nodded; "they even put me on her old shift."  
  
"That will be a help, the clan can communicate with you easily then. Come I think it is time for you to meet them," he told her putting a hand on her shoulder.  
(A/N): Yes I know it's short. Yes, I know much didn't happen But there is good news. I'm going on spring break and carting along my over stuffed story mind with it! Probably around the 6th of April I'll update again. ttfn! 


	7. some grip

Disclaimer: I only own Arianna.  
  
Goliath entered the clan's meeting room to find everyone waiting for him. Three large deep red sofas faced the fireplace on the opposing wall in a U shape. Two other sitting areas were to the left of the larger one for private discussions though he could only remember a handful of times when they were used. Lexington's computers were on the other side of the room along with a few shelves that were stocked with books.  
  
His clan looked up at him from where they sat. Hudson was speaking with Brooklyn near one of the small areas. Lexington was on his computer with Mirran leaning over his shoulder, she was one of the hatchlings from Avolon and was sent to check on the clan, then decided to stay. Broadway and Angela were leaning against the back of the sofa which faced the fireplace; they were waiting for him.  
  
"Here he is," Hudson said; "what did you need to tell us lad?"  
  
"I would like to introduce you to someone," he said moving aside.  
  
They could see the outline of a human; female, five foot eleven, long legs, thin but shapely, currently her back was to them. The outline turned to a human and fell to the floor as a familiar animal pinned her and licked her face.  
  
"Bronx," Goliath said; "get off of her."  
  
Arianna laughed as she pushed Bronx off; "you never told me you had a dog," she said as Goliath offered her a hand to get up.  
  
"Elisa?" a male voice said and Arianna turned to see it was the green gargoyle that her mother's journal had identified as Lexington.  
  
"Do I really look that much like her?" Arianna asked Goliath.  
  
"Ey lass, you do," the older one said with a thick Scottish accent.  
  
"Arianna this is Hudson, Broadway, Angela, Lexington, Mirran, Bronx and I believe you've already met Brooklyn," Goliath said pointing them out. He then took a deep breath; "this is Arianna Maza, my daughter."  
  
"Hello," was all Arianna got out before Angela issued a squeal and ran over pulling her into a bone crushing hug.  
  
"We've got a new sister Mirran!" she called joyfully as the other female walked over and hugged Arianna more gently. "Broadway, go get Fox and Alex they have to meet her!" Angela barked the order to her mate then hastily added 'please.'  
  
"Lexington?" Mirran cooed; "could you get us something to drink and eat? we could be talking for a while."  
  
"Brooklyn, go with them," Angela ordered as the two female gargoyles steered Arianna to the sofa.  
  
"You'd think we were servants," Brooklyn muttered bitterly as the trio exited the room.  
  
"Where have you been all this time?" Angela asked dumbfounded.  
  
"I was living in Miami till about an hour ago," Arianna laughed; two family reunions in three days, who'd have thought?  
  
"Where's Elisa?" Angela asked quietly.  
  
Arianna went ridged; "she died a little over two weeks ago."  
  
Angela nodded then whispered; "does he know?" jerking her head towards Goliath.  
  
"He knows," Arianna whispered back.  
  
"So what did you mean when you said you'd been living in Miami until an hour ago?" Mirran asked.  
  
Arianna looked at the other gargoyle who had not been in her mother's journal. (A/N: This is where the author remembers that she didn't describe the new addition.) The gargoyle was tiny compared to the others, but you could tell she was probably the fastest. Her light blue wings matched ones Lexington had and contrasted with her deep purple coloration. Small ridges held back her golden hair which flowed in streams down her back. Her face reminded Arianna of that of an adult cherub, delicate and small. "I just got a new job at the police station."  
  
"Will you be a detective then lass?" Hudson said as he moved around the sofa on the left to sit down.  
  
"I already am," she smiled stealing a glance at Goliath.  
  
"She received her promotion today," Goliath smiled but remained standing.  
  
"Elisa told me once of what she had to go through to become a detective," Hudson pondered; "it sounded much like becoming a knight."  
  
"I've never heard it compared to that before but I guess you're right," Arianna smiled; she liked Hudson right off the bat.  
  
"Angela?" a female voice said. Everyone turned to find a woman with long red hair. Arianna saw this woman was near her mother's age and had a trademark fox tattoo on one of her eyes.  
  
"Arianna this is," Angela started.  
  
"Fox?" Arianna offered standing and walking over to the woman to shake her hand.  
  
"My, my, my," Fox smiled; "she does look like Elisa doesn't she. You must be very proud Goliath."  
  
"I am," Goliath said crossing his arms; "of both my daughters."  
  
Fox smiled again in response as she started circling around Arianna; "you have a wonderful figure, you must let me make you some clothes."  
  
This time the blush actually reached her cheeks as she tried to laugh it off; "I don't think designer clothes would be the best, knowing me they would have rips within the our."  
  
"All the same, I'll whip up something for you," Fox smiled before leaving.  
  
"So this is your daughter," a male voice said from the doors. Arianna looked up to see the man from the elevator; "nice to meet you Arianna. I don't think we've been properly introduced, I'm Alex Xantos." Arianna reached out gripping the hand he had offered as tight as she could; "that's some grip," he commented.  
  
"You should see my right hook," and while it sounded like a joke to the rest Alex knew t wasn't. Alex grinned in spite of himself, he loved a challenege.  
  
(A/N): this is a plea consisting of two parts. Part A: Answer the follwiong- should I add on to this story or should I make it part of an arc? Should I make it more romantic, more action or both? Part B: PLEASE REVIEW! 


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